Band vs. Orchestra

[tubainty]

Wich do you prefer and why?
Are there things about both you like/ dislike?



A classmate of mine and I discussed this for quite some time earlier this evening and it really got me thinking about the 2 types of large ensembles. I'm curious as to what the members of this forum think.

[b.williams]

Orchestra-long periods of boredom-followed by brief periods of panic, stress, pressure-then rapture or depression-its all up to you!


Band-long periods of activity-brief periods of mild excitement.


Old Warhorse Orchestral transcriptions in band -the best!

[pwhitaker]

Neither. Since 1992 I've only played in small groups - trad jazz, brass quintets and theater pits. I don't like listening to the other sections rehearse and most of the modern band music leaves me cold. I always come to play.

[tbn.al]

That is my two cents. Try to not spend it all in one place!

Wade, what is that $.000003 per word?

Only time for short answer while waiting for my wife to dress for church. One on a part! After that nothing else matters. Orch, Quintet, Bone choir, etc.

[The Jackson]

I cannot say that I prefer one or the another based on musical means (one ensemble in instrumentally superior to the other). When I'm in a group, it's about the people in the group. I prefer orchestral playing, but the best large ensemble I ever played in was a college community band. It was full of band directors, some college kids, and community folks just wanting to play their horns. I do prefer orchestral music and playing in an orchestra, but with such a great group of guys and gals, that was where I wanted to be.

My first orchestral playing experience was a public high school's symphony orchestra (combined "top" string group plus "top" wind folks) and it was pretty cool at first. Soon after, though, that didn't mean a whole heck of a lot because it seemed to me that I was the only guy that wanted to play music instead of doing homework, texting, or eating breakfast. I later joined a couple of local youth symphonies. I had some great chamber music time there at one of them with some awesome brass players, but it seemed that most folks in the orchestra were forced to be there and were trying to exhibit the definition of "disinterest". I can't change other people, and can only change myself, so I left those two groups.

Again, to me, it's all about the people I'm performing with. Band, orchestra, rock band, brass quintet, or burlesque, if my companions and I are all pushing for the same goal, then I'm the happiest guy in the world.

[Stefan]

While I have gotten satisfaction in both ensembles, I enjoy playing in an orchestra much more than a band. I prefer the sound, the music, and the rehearsal experience far more. But it figures that these days, the only ensemble where I could play on a regular basis is a community band. I would get to sit through playing the occasional standard, but mostly cutesy dancelike pieces, jazz and show transcriptions, modern concert rep which seems to focus mainly on high energy rhythmic playing. And the rehearsal experience would be primarily running through and occasionally digging in. All the while huffing and puffing trying to keep up with the blasting all around me. If there were a concert band of a higher standard near me, perhaps I'd enjoy it more. I do get to play in a small wind ensemble doing some classic literature every now and then.

Stefan

[TexTuba]

Band will ALWAYS beat an orchestra. You get your brass players to put their mouthpieces in socks....string players don't stand a chance....

[tubaman5150]

Band is a pretty broad term.
I prefer a Wind Ensemble with no more than 2 tubas. It is capable of all the same expression and dynamic contrast that a similarly skilled orchestra possesses.

Here's why:

1. More to do. Tubas in band do have to play the fundamental bass role, but also get the contrabass brass role found in an orchestra.I don't think I would ever get to play something like Hindemith's "Symphony in Bb", Barnes' "Third Symphony" or Maslanka's "A Child's Garden of Dreams" in a orchestra.
2. The new and more advanced literature actually gets played in an advanced wind ensemble. It's tough to write for an orchestra in America and get it programmed. Though, I would love to see that change.
3. I like marches. Especially circus marches.

Bottom line for me is that I feel useful and needed in a band. I've enjoyed playing in whatever orchestra will have me, but my home will always be in band. It's where I grew up, was educated and really learned something about music.

Not to mention, no conductor has ever asked me to "stay under the bassoons" in a wind ensemble.

[Jonathan Fowler]

I prefer an orchestra.

Why?

Because Mahler, Sibelius, Wagner, etc. didn't write much for band.


But as long as the check clears...

[tclements]

GREAT topic for discussion! My preference is to play great literature. As this is totally subjective, I'll leave it up to history to sort this <great literature> debate out. I don't really care the meduim, if you are playing great repertoire, with fine musicians and a truly prepared conductor, the medium is of little consequence. I prefer the solo nature of orchestra playing, but there is so much great wind literature that if I found myself playing in a section like Keith Brion has assembled in the New Sousa Band, I'd be in heaven.

Having said THAT, as an artist, chamber music is where its at.

GREAT discussion!

[windshieldbug]

Both can be great and both can be horrible, but for myself,

Orchestra.

Some of the greatest musical thoughts and forms have been expressed in orchestral music.
Sure, you don't always play, but to be part of a Mahler or Adams performance trumps almost everything.
Rarely are there 2 tubas, so every note you play is a solo.
Intonation is your responsibility alone, and so is interpretation.
It's like playing quintet music, but on a much grander scale.
If you get the hand, you've actually accomplished something.

[Wyvern]

All things being equal, then I prefer orchestra over band for various reasons;

1) Better quality of music in orchestra, usually written by great composers and fully developed. Nothing in band is remotely as satisfying as playing a Mahler, Bruckner, Prokofiev or Shostakovich symphony for example!
2) Greater tonal colour of sound in orchestra.
3) The tuba usually being a solo voice, so the tone is fully ones own and although you do not play as much, when you do it is usually rewarding.

So I generally prefer orchestral playing for quality over quantity!

HOWEVER, having said all that I am playing in a band where we play a lot of quality original music for winds. Playing there I find more rewarding than playing music with minimal tuba part in orchestra.

[Michael Bush]

I remember when my college teacher was trying to convince me to change my major to tuba performance. One of the things he held out was the possibility of an orchestral job. At 18, I was completely mystified by the idea he would think of that as an attractive possibility. I had helped out my HS orchestra on the rare occasions when they needed a tuba. Boring as the hot place, except for a passage here and there. Why would I want that to be my life?

Now I understand a little better about quality and so forth. And I get the value of being part of something that is beautiful whether my own part is interesting or not.

But I still basically agree with my 18 year old self: It's interesting to play, not so much to count measures of rest or sit quietly through tacit movements or whole pieces that have no tuba part.

Two bands and a quintet give me chances to scratch pretty much every musical itch I feel.

[Biggs]

Which pays more? Personal satisfaction is what I seek on my own time. Financial compensation is my main goal in operating a tuba, infrequent though it may be.

[Michael Bush]

Which pays more? Personal satisfaction is what I seek on my own time. Financial compensation is my main goal in operating a tuba, infrequent though it may be.

That might be a big issue in peoples' preferences. There are probably a lot more chances to get paid with orchestras (though that's still not saying much).

I only ever operate a tuba on my own time. (I think I got paid once about thirty or so years ago for a Corpus Christi parade at a church, but I'm not completely sure.) So if playing doesn't bring personal satisfaction, it has absolutely no point in my life.

[eutubabone]

Wind Ensemble orchestral excerpts or Orchestra. Concert band, eh.
When I was performing on euphonium I always preferred orchestral transcriptions and music written for orchestral wind ensemble over music written for concert band. The concept of chamber music, one on a part, always was more enjoyable. On euphonium I was like an operatic soloist, especially in Holst (Suite in F, Eb, Lincoln shire Polsey) and orchestral transcriptions.

[eutubabone]

For tuba, either one, band or orchestra was good. But orchestra would win out because of the variety of tonal colors and character one could achieve through great orchestral writing.

[tbn.al]

That is my two cents. Try to not spend it all in one place!

Wade, what is that $.000003 per word?

Only time for short answer while waiting for my wife to dress for church. One on a part! After that nothing else matters. Orch, Quintet, Bone choir, etc.

Ah, yes -- maybe so about the length of my post. But I actually answered the question that was asked!

I answered it too, and included the why as well. One on a part in the brass. I wasn't complaining about the legnth of your post as much as I was the necessity to shorten mine.

[bearphonium]

A great discussion topic!

I have had no opportunity to play in an orchestra, except for 35+ years ago in HS when I played bass trombone. I have played in wind ensembles, and generally like the music that is scored for those groups. I play in a marching band, which I really enjoy, although most of our charts are either dumbed down marches or pep band music (I am working on getting some original scores for some traditional marches, however...) as well as a tuba ensemble, with a director who is an amazing arranger, and does a nice job challenging us on a variety of music, from marches to video game tunes. Two community bands round out my groups. One tuba in the marching band and one concert band, two or three tubas in the other concert band, and five 4ths/ four 3rds for the tuba ensemble. Three seems about right for a concert band...I'd love more tubas in the marching band!

I have friends who are wind players in local orchestras (flute and bassoon) and I hear their concerts often...it feels to me like those concerts are missing something that is present when I hear a good wind ensemble...just my ears, I guess.

So, I guess I prefer the band/wind ensemble to the orchestra, both for listening and playing.

[imperialbari]

Let me clarify one more thing:

There are different styles of bands and different styles of marches.

As far as "bands" go, I MOST prefer this style of "band" and this style of "march"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8LCvXXiC6g

OK, if some musical parameters may be discarded in favour of others, then I like a march played like this one (but I wouldn’t want to be in that band):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EqmdMXTnCs

I also like this band, not only because its bass trombonist is playing an instrument of the much wanted Tw. O. Balls brand:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2VKWkBc ... 082CD50966

Klaus